Philadelphia Falter in Dallas & Patrick Rescues Kansas City – Top Highlights from National Football League Week 12

The twelfth week provided an incredible Cowboys comeback, or was it an epic Philadelphia Eagles implosion?

Postseason Patrick Mahomes arrived to salvage the Chiefs' campaign while the Chicago Bears continue to impress while they extend their victorious streak.

And did Shedeur Sanders do sufficiently on his debut NFL start to secure the starting role in Cleveland?

Let's take a look at the pick of the action in the NFL.

Analysis – Dallas Rally or Eagles Collapse?

The Cowboys were down and out at twenty-one to zero behind against the defending Super Bowl winners, how exactly did they engineer their joint-best recovery in history?

The emotions of a initial home game after a teammate’s untimely passing could have been a factor, however it was a mixture of Dak Prescott determination and a defence that cashed in on rare mistakes by the Eagles.

Dak eclipsed Tony Romo marks for passing yards (now 34,378) and clutch drives (twenty-five) with an all-action display – his diving touchdown embodying his energetic display.

Philadelphia wasted a advantage of twenty-one points or more for the first time after nineteen ninety-nine, with just their second game with multiple turnovers this season – the previous being a disappointing division defeat at the New York.

In addition to 14 penalties for ninety-six yards, the attacking struggles that hit Jalen Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive start was huge. He had only passed for over two hundred yards in 4 games prior to the weekend, he had over one hundred fifty in the first half alone in Dallas.

Yet from the time the Eagles went 21-0 up their offence derailed dramatically – with four straight kicks, a missed field goal and then a fumble handing chance after chance to the Dallas.

The Eagles defense is brilliant, it really is, but an offense that's not eclipsed twenty-one points in 5 of 7 games (3 losses) is now a major worry, as the pieces are all there but it's simply not clicking.

Sirianni’s approach is all about winning the key situations, the defense keeps them in it and what offense there is manages barely sufficient – if it can't even do that and now the discipline and possession security is failing, there may be trouble ahead.

In Focus – Playoff Patrick Appears Early to Save Chiefs

It wasn’t quite as dramatic, but the Chiefs’ 11-point comeback in the final period against a powerful Colts squad was very impressive – and could have just saved their season.

How big was it? Indeed, the NFL's Next Gen Stats now assign the Chiefs a fifty-eight percent chance of reaching the playoffs, when a defeat on Sunday would have reduced that number to 28%.

It’s no surprise the playoff version of Patrick Mahomes turned up, throwing for 235 yards in the second half alone and leading 3 point-scoring drives in their last four series to seal it in extra time.

Some huge passes and swashbuckling runs are typical for Patrick in the postseason, but currently the Chiefs are in post-season mode – at six and five and only tenth in the AFC rankings.

This was more like the former Kansas City however, with a first one-score victory of the year after dropping 5 previously – they won 11 of them the previous season so, if that belief comes back, this Kansas City faithful might not be done so soon.

Discussion – Are Chicago Become Rulers of the North?

You just can't ignore the Chicago Bears now. A win over the Steelers, without Aaron Rodgers, kept them top of the division and at 8-3 – holding the identical record as the Philadelphia.

They appear dangerous on each side of the field, with a defence that tops the NFL in picks and total takeaways and, in Williams, a emerging quarterback now used to securing tight games.

He can still be shaky, surrendering a score after a turnover in his team’s goal area – but he also threw three touchdowns and, with already five final period comebacks this season, he understands how to finish the game.

The Green Bay Packers are in hot pursuit in the division after dominating the Vikings and the Lions are in contention after overcoming the New York in extra time with a huge game from Jahmyr Gibbs.

The Bears are strangely the most consistent with 8 wins in nine, but as they travel to the championship champs on the holiday we'll discover just how good they really are.

Preview – Exciting Holiday in Store

It appears one of the most exciting holiday schedules for a long time, with each game loaded with postseason implications.

Detroit host the Packers in the classic curtain-raiser in Detroit, prior to a unusual trip back to Dallas for the Chiefs, who started out existence as the Texans long ago in the sixties before moving to Missouri.

Sunday's comeback teams are both clinging to playoff hopes but have very little margin for error – so this will have a playoff feel.

What about the Ravens? An ugly win over the Jets actually has them top of the division after starting 1-5 and appearing finished.

Holiday and Black Friday Games (all times GMT)

  • Thursday, 27 November: Packers @ Lions (18:00)
  • Thursday, twenty-seven November: Chiefs @ Dallas Cowboys (9:30 PM)
  • Friday, 28 November: Bengals @ Ravens (1:20 AM)
  • Friday, 28 November: Bears @ Philadelphia Eagles (20:00)

Can Sanders Keep His Starting Role?

Browns coach Kevin Stefanski dismissed questions on whether Sanders had performed sufficiently in his first professional outing to keep the first-team position when Dillon Gabriel returns.

Yet the question will continue to be raised as Shedeur became the first Browns signal-caller to secure his first league start since Eric Zeier in 1999 – with seventeen other first-year quarterbacks failing to do so afterward.

It was only the Las Vegas, and with the help of an almost aggressive Cleveland defence getting ten sacks, but the Browns’ offence requires a leader, a presence to inspire belief.

And self-belief is one thing not lacking in Shedeur, who told a network {

Richard Mitchell
Richard Mitchell

A passionate gamer and tech writer with over a decade of experience in reviewing video games and analyzing gaming trends.